Urban green spaces′ effectiveness as a psychological buffer for the negative health impact of noise pollution: A systematic review

This systematic review contributes to the research field of user participation by suggesting a new holistic approach comprising a cyclic process model for long-term participation in the strategic management of urban green spaces, including analysis, design, and implementation phases, each followed by an evaluation. User participation in urban green spaces is encouraged in international conventions. Such initiatives aim to involve citizens more closely in decisions regarding local spaces, based on the premise that this will create better, more inclusive, and sustainable local environments. However, a social inclusion perspective is largely absent in the growing body of European scientific literature on urban green spaces. Further, user participation processes are often carried out within projects, with uncertainties about which strategic management phase (planning, design, construction, and/or maintenance) to emphasize and about the long-term sustainability of project-based participation. Therefore, the literature was examined for tools for participation with the focus on participation of local users in the strategic management of urban green spaces, and in particular, marginalized groups. A systematic review based on peer-reviewed scientific papers revealed the necessity for adapting participation processes to the known needs of different participant groups, including those of marginalized groups often excluded in the past. Local authorities have several pathways to socially inclusive and long-term participation. These include choosing and employing a suitable participation approach, anchoring repeated project-based participation in existing municipal long-term strategies, continuously supporting participating users and evaluating ongoing participation processes, and employing a mix of participation types and approaches. The “cyclic process model for long-term participation in strategic management of UGS” presented in this paper could guide such efforts.

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Seasonality and social factors, but not noise pollution, influence the song characteristics of two leaf warbler species

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257074 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0257074

Author(s):

Krzysztof Deoniziak ◽

Tomasz S. Osiejuk

Keyword(s):

Social Factors ◽

Urban Ecosystems ◽

Noise Pollution ◽

Bird Song ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Willow Warbler ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Song Divergence ◽

The Common

Changes in the acoustic signalling of animals occupying urban ecosystems is often associated with the masking effects of noise pollution, but the way in which they respond to noise pollution is not straightforward. An increasing number of studies indicate that responses can be case specific, and some species have been found to respond differently to high levels of natural versus anthropogenic noise, as well as different levels of the latter. While the perception of noise between species may vary with its source, amplitude and temporal features, some species may possess broader environmental tolerance to noise pollution, as they use higher frequency vocalizations that are less masked by low-frequency urban noise. In this study, we explored the song variation of two closely related leaf warblers, the Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita and the Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, inhabiting urban green spaces and nonurban forests. The main goal of our study was to evaluate the impact of moderate levels of noise pollution on the songs of species which use higher frequency vocalizations and large frequency bandwidth. Previous studies found that the Common Chiffchaff modified their song in response to intense noise pollution, while no such data is available for the Willow Warbler. However, the majority of urban green spaces, which serve as wildlife hot spots in urban environments are usually polluted with moderate noise levels, which may not mask the acoustic signals of species that communicate with higher frequency. We analysed the spectral and temporal song parameters of both warblers and described the ambient noise present in males’ territories. Additionally, we looked at the social and seasonal aspects of bird song, since there is more than just noise in urban ecosystems which may affect acoustic communication. We found no evidence for noise-related bird song divergence in either species, however, we showed that social factors, time of day and season influence certain Common Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler song characteristics. Lack of noise-related bird song divergence may be due to the relatively low variation in its amplitude or other noise features present within the song frequency range of the studied species. Similar results have previously been shown for a few songbird species inhabiting urban ecosystems. Although in many cases such results remain in the shadow of the positive ones, they all contribute to a better understanding of animal communication in urban ecosystems.

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A systematic review of multi-dimensional quality assessment tools for urban green spaces

Health & Place ◽

10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102198 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 59 ◽

pp. 102198 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Pablo Knobel ◽

Payam Dadvand ◽

Roser Maneja-Zaragoza

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Quality Assessment ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces

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Assessing the role of urban green spaces for human well-being: a systematic review

GeoJournal ◽

10.1007/s10708-021-10474-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Muhammad Jabbar ◽

Mariney Mohd Yusoff ◽

Aziz Shafie

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Well Being ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces

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Going Green and Going Dense: A Systematic Review of Compatibilities and Conflicts in Urban Research

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su131910643 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (19) ◽

pp. 10643

Author(s):

Helena Madureira ◽

Ana Monteiro

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Research Literature ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Social Benefits ◽

Urban Greening ◽

Multiple Perspectives ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Current State

The dilemma of simultaneously promoting the advantages of urban densification and urban liveability, namely the environmental and social benefits of urban green spaces, has been widely acknowledged in the research literature. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current state of evidence on benefits, conflicts and challenges emerging from fostering both urban densification and urban greening aims. A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was conducted. Searches for peer-reviewed papers were conducted in Scopus and Web of Science. Our search yielded an initial 357 papers, which were then further sorted and screened to the 117 manuscripts retained and included in this review. The authors systematized the multiple perspectives in which the interactions between urban densification and urban greening have been explored. Moreover, the results revealed a lack of clear agreement about the existence or not of conflicts emerging from fostering both urban densification and urban greening aims, suggesting that the positive or negative interactions are not absolute but depend on the scale or the context on which the studies are conducted. Further research should explore multiple potential mediating variables (e.g., the mediator effect of scale and context) to deepen our understanding of interactions between density and greening.

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Human–environment interactions in urban green spaces — A systematic review of contemporary issues and prospects for future research

Environmental Impact Assessment Review ◽

10.1016/j.eiar.2014.08.007 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 50 ◽

pp. 25-34 ◽

Cited By ~ 205

Author(s):

Nadja Kabisch ◽

Salman Qureshi ◽

Dagmar Haase

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Future Research ◽

Human Environment ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces

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A Core On The Edge: An Urban Bird Assemblage On The Atlantic Margin Of Europe

10.21203/rs.3.rs-416772/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jason David Luscier

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Noise Pollution ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Urban Habitats ◽

European Starlings ◽

House Sparrows ◽

Urban Green ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

Bird Populations ◽

Urban Core

Abstract Urbanization threatens bird populations globally, however many urban habitats present important refugia for wildlife in this rapidly changing landscape. Additionally, birds at the periphery of their global range are more prone to landscape changes and thus these distributions are good indicators of the effects of urbanization on diversity; e.g., bird populations and communities of Cork City, Ireland. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects from urbanization on bird densities (birds/ha), species richness, and species composition throughout Cork City. I surveyed 32 points selected with a stratified random sample within commercial areas, residential habitats, and green spaces throughout Cork City during four breeding seasons between 2016–2019. Species richness was highest in green spaces with 18–34 species; whereas residential habitats had 14–27 species and commercial areas had 9–20 species. The most densely populated species citywide were Rock Pigeons (5.4–9.1 birds/ha), Eurasian Jackdaws (2.9–3.8 birds/ha), Rooks (4.5–6.4 birds/ha), European Starlings (3.4–5.3 birds/ha), Eurasian Blackbirds (2.4–3.6 birds/ha), and House Sparrows (2.7–4.5 birds/ha). Overall a lack in urban green space surrounding survey points was most strongly associated with reduced species richness and population estimates. Also, both species richness and population densities tended to be higher in regions with less noise pollution and farther from the urban core. Ultimately these results corroborate other studies stressing the importance of urban green spaces for conserving biodiversity in cities. This is particularly important for the birds of Cork City given that these urban habitats are at the western edge of these species’ distributions.

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